North America

The Southern Company-owned utility’s larger-than-expected storage rollout points toward a big new market in the Southeast.

SMA America has unveiled multiple updates to its service center that were designed to facilitate even more efficient technical support. Key expansions include a new, larger central and string inverter laboratory. The service center also features a rooftop PV system that functions as a real-world lab while offsetting energy costs. The new features will improve the ability to simulate issues, troubleshoot calls and provide service training for customers.

The utility-scale developer seeks to reorient itself around competitive markets beyond its base in the Carolinas, using third-party construction firms instead of its own staff.

Worldwide investments in clean energy projects have hit a six-year low. Global spending totaled $117.6 billion in the first half of 2019, down 14% from a year earlier and the least since 2013, according to a report by BloombergNEF. Investments slowed in all three major markets -- the U.S., Europe and China -- but China’s decline was especially pronounced as the country continued its shift away from subsidies for solar and wind power.

Alabama is ranked 13th in the nation as having the greatest solar potential, yet only 0.26% of its energy comes from solar, leaving the state far behind others when it comes to total installed solar capacity.